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FREDERICTON, N.B. – As party leaders and candidates hit the road across New Brunswick campaigning for the upcoming provincial election, Global News will keep track of where they are and what they’re saying in our election notebook.

Liberals: Tax cuts for small businesses

Liberal Leader Brian Gallant was at Scholten’s Convenience Store in Fredericton, promising he would cut the tax rate for small businesses to 2.5 per cent. He says it would be the lowest rate east of Manitoba.

Gallant said he’d also protect retailers through better policing of contraband tobacco and alcohol and freeze their fees for four years.

Finally, Gallant pledged to review the New Brunswick Drug Plan to ensure small businesses can afford it. He says businesses with less than 50 employees would not be forced to pay for the drug coverage.

Conservatives: Protecting contractors

Progressive Conservative leader David Alward campaigned Wednesday in Moncton and promised legislation to protect subcontractors on government projects who wait too long to get paid.

The legislation would ensure those contractors got timely payment for their work. Alward said businesses shouldn’t have to go to court to get paid.

Alward also pledged to ensure small businesses were not burdened with the cost of the province’s drug plan.

NDP: Politics and roads

NDP leader Dominic Cardy was in Hanwell, N.B. where he continued to attack political patronage.

He said he wants to eliminate the influence politicians have in decided which roads are paved. Cardy says road construction will be decided after a ‘long-term road strategy’ is completed by experts.